My choice to undertake an online course on Microsoft Excel has been approved by Victoria. This is excellent news as I have already began the course, and finished the expected four hours duration. The main objective of undertaking this course is to become familiar with the program Microsoft Excel, and to master the basic skills, such as creating and editing spreadsheets. By doing so, I will have expanded my computer knowledge and formed the foundation for further study of the program. While I had learnt the basics of the program during my high school years, I never had an interest in the program and so I didn’t bother to maintain, or advance my skills, in the program. 

However, now that I am at a stage where I am searching for a job relevant to my university degree, knowledge and competence in Microsoft excel is a crucial element to successfully gaining employment. I have discovered this from numerous job searches, where one of the first selection criteria is “highly developed skills in Microsoft Excel and other applications”. Hopefully by the end of the online course, I would have the skills and knowledge to meet these requirements, as well as an understanding of the concept and practicality of online courses.

I recently completed the VARK Questionnaire, for the second time, and this time my results indicated that I have preferences for the ‘reading/writing’ style of learning. I agreed completely with these results. The last time I undertook this questionnaire, it said I had equal, or nearly equal, preferences for all the types of learning- indicating that I had a multimodal preference for learning. I was surprised by these results, as when I read some of the descriptions of the different styles of learning, such as visual and audio, they didn’t appeal to me and I knew that these were not my preferred styles of learning. I prefer to be in a traditional based learning setting, where there is lots of writing and information involved. I psychologically feel that I gain more from these types of learning methods, and feel reassured when I know that I have notes or information that I can access when necessary. I enjoy learning situations that involve vast amounts of writing, even though at times I spend more time writing than I do listening, and while I enjoy drawing diagrams and charts in my notes, they are solely there for aesthetical purposes rather than educational ones. My work always has to look perfect, or my idea of perfect, and everything needs to be systematically structured.  

The results of the questionnaire suggested that to take in information, I should use resources such as dictionaries, lists, textbooks and other mediums that contain headings and involved a combination of reading and memorising. I think that when choosing my online program, I should find a course that meets these needs. I feel that maybe this is when I am more interested in the language course that I am with an online computer course. With languages, in order to excel you need to learn the basic words and sentences, and this can involve a list of words that need to be reread numerously and memorised. While I am enjoying the Microsoft Excel online learning program, I feel that while I will complete it, and hopefully learn to apply and master the skills; I will be more inclined to forget it, as the skills need to be applied in practice.

In trying to make a link between the design and structure of my e-learning blog and the results of the questionnaire, I have failed to make any major connections, other than the fact that I enjoy writing a lot and making use of headings, and I need spacing between the paragraphs for aesthetical purposes and to make it easier to read!                          

During the last class, I searched for online courses that I could use for my assessment. Among a load of websites I found that offered what I thought were online courses (they weren’t courses), I came across the BBC Website. And what a website. The topic that most caught my eye was the one on the human body. This online interactive course focused on topics such as the organs, systems and bones of the body-each in their own separate courses. I found it very intriguing and educational. As part of the course, it was the learner’s task to place the various bones and organs on to the model body. It was so specific that you had to get even the rotation and exact positioning of the organs/bones to get the points the program allocated. This got frustrating at times though, especially when I could get the positioning right but not the rotation. Thankfully, the program offered tips and advice on the rotations and locations of the different parts of the body.

I think that programs such as these would be extremely helpful for medical students learning the anatomy of the human body, as they could learn the basics, in a fun and interactive environment, before dealing with the real life thing. It was funny though, as I should the program to my sister, who at the moment is studying dentistry and so this program was perfect for her. She, like me, became heavily involved in the program and exclaimed that the program was “the coolest thing ever”. However, unlike her, I didn’t yell and scream at the computer, especially with my medical terminology. When she couldn’t get one of the organs in the right rotation, she was convinced the program was wrong. I guess when designing online programs, you must remember that each person will have their own opinions, and may even be more knowledgeable than the program. If this program were to be used by medical students, I am assuming that the content would be more specific and meet the different levels of needs of the students.  

On the same website, there was a section on languages. I have always wanted to learn another language and have many times promised to enrol into a language school but have never done so, either because I didn’t have the time, or effort to travel to the classes. Well, I guess now both problems are solved. The online language course on the BBC website is extremely fun. The content is divided into different themes, such as introducing yourself or ordering food. I think this is a good feature as it means you are able to access what you want and when you want. I went through the different languages learning the basics from each, especially the sections on “introducing yourself”. I love the fact that they are online as it means you can go along with your own pace, and practice in the comfort of your own home without having to feel embarrassed if you make a mistake- I made many, and thankfully no one heard. It’s a good way to relieve stress as well, listening to the mistakes you make. I quite enjoyed it. Arriverderci! (I think that means good evening in Italian) If not, than Zaijan from me (That definitely means bye in Chinese)

Ni Hao!

That means hello in Chinese [mandarin]. I have just completed my first session in my online learning course. Thanks to Victoria, I have found an online course on Microsoft Excel and have already completed the first 2 sessions of module 1. While i already knew the basics of what was being taught in these modules, it was good to refresh my memory on these topics as well as to experience what is like to be an online learner. I have come to a conclusion that the use of online learning has both advantages and disadvantages. I will start off with the disadvantages as there were fewer of them. I participated in online courses for both Microsoft excel, using the skills ports website, and an online language course in Chinese [mandarin]. 

A key problem in both course which i feel limited my ability to effectively learn was the absence of sound, and especially in the language course. As a result, I felt isolated and frustrated as, as i discovered using an online learning preference test, i have a high need for audio in my learning experiences. I dint know if it was due to my computer speakers not working, or the actual online course not having audio capabilities. However, i experienced the same problem on the university computers as well.  I guess that when online courses are being developed, problems such as audio difficulty that participants may experience need to be taken into consideration. Thank fully, both courses offered transcripts to the audio components of each course. I found myself mimicking voices to overcome the lack of sound.

Another negative aspect of the online courses was the fact that I was stuck in front of the computer during the duration of the course. I personally do not like to sit in front of computers for too long, even though I do. But this leads to one of the benefits of online learning. As it is based online, and nowadays with wireless computers and Internet, learners are able to complete the course where and when they want-whether it be outdoors, indoors, in the sky, where ever. I quite liked this aspect. While completing the course, I must admit that I fell asleep, or was falling asleep, and so I put the course on hold and put had a power nap. This could not have occurred as easily in a traditional based classroom. I hardly think the educator/trainer would be impressed with students sleeping in class. And the best part was that when I returned online, everything was still available, including my scores to the various quizzes I competed.

An advantage I found was the structure and nature of the online learning course. As with many traditional classroom based lessons, it went from the basic concepts/processes of a topic and finished with the complex topics. I also found it beneficial that I was able to focus on the topics I needed help with the most, and flew through topics that I was familiar with. Within in a traditional classroom based activity, this cannot happen as easily as with the online course, especially if the student has esteem issues or fear of failure and public exposure involved in asking for additional help from educators.  Overall, I quite enjoyed the process and am looking forward to continuing with learning both excel and Chinese. I also got my sister hooked onto the BBC site, especially the course regarding the human body. She is studying to become a dentist and as they need to be highly knowledgeable on this topic, she was impressed. I guess I have recruited another e-learner.

In my journey to undertake an online course on the topic of my choice, I have come to a diverged path, and am stuck in deciding as to what my final choice of topic would be. As I have mentioned in a previous post, for the third assessment, I was hoping to undertake an online course on Microsoft excel as I believe it is a necessary tool for an employee in the field of human resources management. And while I am still keen as ever to undertake such a course, I have developed an interest for other topics, and my eagerness towards the course on Microsoft excel is diminishing slowly.  

Yesterday during class, I discovered the BBC (British Broadcasting Corporation) website, which contained a section dedicated to online learning course, and one of the topics of these courses was languages. I have always wanted to learn a language, even if were the basics of the language, but have never had to time to be able to physically attend classes. However, with the online course, I can learn the language that I fancy from the comfort of my own home. And may I emphasise that the courses on the BBC website are FREE…yes free! Excellent! However, now I am stuck between learning Chinese [Mandarin], German or French. I think I am going to stick to Chinese, as I know some of the basics, as I partially learnt it during high school. Maybe once I have learnt the basics of Chinese, I will move on to the other languages and master the basics, and potentially even the advanced levels. And then, with the use of the virtual travel application of Second Life, I can use the skills I have gained as a result of the course to travel the world.  

I find it funny that it never came to me to use an online course prior to the commencement of the subject ‘e-learning experiences’. And this is despite the fact that I have been an Internet junkie for the past four or so years. I guess I just never knew of the benefits they provide and their ease of use. I guess it is true than that gaining even the slightest amount of knowledge can lead to big changes. If I hadn’t become familiar with the concept of ‘e-learning’, I would have never been in the position I am in right know- where I have unlimited access to knowledge and tools, and my only problem is deciding on where to start in regard to my learning journey! 

Yesterday, my brother and I were discussing the issue of gaining new employement, and the skills and experience required to be successful in gaining certain positions. I told him of my plan to do an online course in Microsoft excel, and he suggested I use one of his many books on Microsoft applications, including excel, to increase the success of the online course as i would have two sources of data on the subject. With the use of the books, I would be able to learn the theoretical aspects of Microsoft excel and then apply this new knowledge by practising them using the actual computer program. I began to wonder, if i did this would it make my ‘program’ a form of “blended learning”?

For the group wiki assessment, we researched the issue of blended learning that can be defined, simply, as the process of using online technology and traditional classroom based learning methods. However, with a simple definition as that, the term ‘blended learning’ could become overused and soon lose its meaning. As with many words/concepts, the term blended learning could remain as an universally undefined aspect, and adapted to meet the needs of the user! I believe that this is also the case with e-learning. With so many different perspectives on what it actually is or how it can be defined, the concept of e-learning could be thrown to the side, and the benefits of the concept lost.

In order for the concept of blended learning and e-learning to be successful, a universal decision on their definitions and processes should be developed and integrated around the world. This would ensure that these two concepts don’t become another washed out buzzword, or a term that is used for any process that involves online activity. 

For the past few weeks, I have been undergoing a job hunting process, as I believe that it is time to further, or start, my career in the field of HR. And while I love my current job and am remotely satisfied with it overall, I do not believe that it would allow me to further my career in the field of HR- maybe in a management position though, but that is not what I want.  

However, while I have found many appealing jobs, I have found that with the majority of these jobs, as well as lack of extensive experience in a similar role, most of the advertised positions have called for the need for efficient skills in Microsoft Excel. Unfortunately, despite learning how to use it in my early years of high school, I have almost completely forgotten how it works. So I have decided that for the module three assessment, where we are required to undertake a four-hour online course, I hope to participate in an online course that teaches the basics of Microsoft Excel. I have found what I think is an online course, but I am not quite sure if it qualifies as a ‘course’ or just a website listing how to perform the certain functions. I will have to get a confirmation of this, and hopefully I saved the site on my delicious account.  

The aspect that I like best about this course that I have found, or the idea of doing a course on excel, is that I have access to the program at a variety of places, including my home computer, the university library and the public library. This means that when I have learn the basics, and maybe even some advanced skills, I will be able to continually practice the skills I have learnt and become proficient in the use of Microsoft Excel. I had considered looking for a course where I would learn something more interesting, like a language or cooking, but realistically, they would not have been beneficial as there would not have been adequate enough time to complete the course and put into practice the skills and knowledge that I had acquired.  

Hopefully, by completing this course, I would have gained the skills, knowledge and practice required to operate Microsoft Excel, therefore increasing my chances of gaining a HR related job and thus beginning my career as a businesswoman. Fingers Crossed!

From my research on e-learning and its role in today’s society, I have come to an understanding of the benefits it provides users, as well as its growing popularity. Personally, though, I am not a fan of the e-learning craze. Now I will warn you that this blog entry is largely written by my feelings and emotions. I believe that before e-learning can be truly successful, a high-speed Internet connection should be developed, one that never experiences ‘failed internet connections’, as mine is doing at the moment, despite the internet being ‘connected’. It is quite frustrating when you have so much work to do, the majority of it based online, and your computer fails to function. Combine this with a short temper fuse and you’ve got trouble.

I guess this is one of the negatives of e-learning. As well as the normal physiological reactions the human body undergoes, such as mood changes and physical sickness, e-learners are faced with the possibility of failed technology. And without this technology, especially Internet based, the student would be unable to adequately complete their tasks, thus not be able to complete the course. While the chapter by Rena and Pratt (2001) provided many useful tips for maximising the success of the online learner, ultimately the crucial factor in online success is the availability of a functioning computer and Internet service. If I had to choose between traditional classroom based learning and e-learning, I know which one I would definitely choose- the classroom approach to learning…until my Internet decides to work

Rena and Pratt (2001) in chapter 7 “Working with Virtual Students” provide readers, and in particular instructors of online learning, with many ideas on ways to maximise the learners experience, potential and success in the online learning program. Their ideas are based upon 2 main assumptions, which on many occasions have been found to be the opposite. The two assumptions are that in regard to online learning the teachers will [automatically] know how to teach in an online environment, and students will know how to manage the learning process. As I have previously said, the chapter emphasises that these assumptions have been proven false.  Rena and Pratt (2001) also state that their preferred learning style. Quoted in the article is Litzinger and Osif (1993) who define learning styles as the ways in which children and adults think and learn. They break down the thinking and learning processes into 3 main categories:

• Cognition = ways in which people acquire knowledge
• Conceptualisation = ways in which people process info
• Motivation = includes decision making styles, values and emotional preferences 

 As in a face-to-face classroom based learning environment, it is essential for the instructor to accommodate the various learning styles in the online classroom. This can be achieved by using various forms of technologies and types of assignments in the learning process. One aspect of the article that I had a little trouble understanding was concept of allowing students to return to face-to-face classroom style of teaching when students do not do well online. I began to wonder how this could occur, unless the course has initially involved traditional classroom based aspects of teaching, creating a type of blended learning experience. What if the students of a certain online course lived across many geographical locations, how could they access this face-to-face method of teaching? If this type of teaching was offered to learners, would it really be an online course and in which direction would students head in to complete this course- the online or offline course. I guess it depends on the student’s learning style preference, their backgrounds and the course content.  

Another aspect of the article that I found interesting was the issue if privacy involved in online learning courses. Rena and Pratt (2001) state that as students form their online learning communities with other students, they create for themselves a false sense of privacy. Many believe that because the class is password protected, others will not be able to access their discussions. They assert that while this is generally true, there are times when other students might ‘hack’ their way into course data, such as students work, or it may be discovered that others are observing what is happening without making their presence known. This could include educational institutions, fellow classmates, the general public and even potential employers. I personally was quite shocked when I discovered that people in my own class were reading my blogs. I felt intruded as people whom I didn’t expect to do so were doing so. I don’t really want others reading my information, not because I think they will steal my work, but because I fear they will judge me somehow based on what I have written, especially in terms of academic ability. Maybe its just me, but I do find it weird for other students, and potentially the general public, to be accessing my work.  

The chapter concludes with Rena and Pratt providing suggestions on how to maximise the potential of the virtual student. These include the need for instructors to stay actively involved by logging on frequently, to both act as a model for students’ participation and to reduce/eliminate potential conflicts that may be present, thus keeping the course moving and the students motivated. They state that the attendance and presence of students should contribute to the final grade in an online class to ensure work is completed, students are active and motivated, and a successful completion of the course.

Reference

Rena and Pratt, 2002, ”Working with the Virtual Student”, Chapter 7 Lessons From Cyberspace  

After attending Sean Fitgerald’s presentation on Second Life, I began to wonder about the role e-learning will have in the future, and especially in my own life. It seems as though with every new concept/process I learn, while semester is on, I am fully into it, but as soon as the subject is completed, and I have met academic requirements, I feel I tend to forget what I have learnt, or push it far at the back of my mind. Last year, we undertook a subject called ‘e-portfolio’ which required us to develop our own e-portfolio, an application that can potentially be used in the recruitment process. During semester, I spent considerable amount of time developing my e-portfolio and appreciated the concept of an e-portfolio. However, less than a year on, and I have already forgotten, or at least failed to use, the concept of an e-portfolio. I have actually destroyed my e-portfolio, mainly for privacy issues. I start to wonder, is the same thing going to happen to my understanding and appreciation of e-learning????

I do not think the same will happen. While I may not be as heavily involved in blogging and researching for articles on e-learning and RRS feeds that I can place on my netvibes, I have gained a deeper understanding of the concept of e-learning and the benefits it can provide organisations, especially in regard to the human resources department. And as the world/society becomes more technological and globalised, we are constantly going to be reminded of the concept and application of e-learning. Oh and I think next year, we are required to take a extension/similar subject!

One aspect in particular that I thoroughly appreciate learning about is the use of the delicious account- a social bookmarking site. It is like my own favourites list that I can carry around with me, and access where ever there is a computer with internet access. Today, I was at work and my manager and I were browsing various sites and we came across a really interesting site. As the computer was at work, while we saved it to the favourites section, as the computer was at work, I would be unable to access it when I got home…Hmm…What to do????????   …..  I know, I will save it on my delicious account! Yay! Problem solved.

Also, I have been undergoing a process of job searching and included in many job advertisements is the need for potential candidates to have experience, or a deep understanding, of the nature and process of e-learning. So I guess that by undertaking this subject, I not only meet the requirements of the degree, but I also gain an understanding of an increasingly popular, and interesting, topic that could potentially lead me to gaining my dream job- what ever that might be!

I also realised that I have been using a form of e-learning for nearly two years- in the form of UTS Online. This blended learning approach to teaching has allowed us students to experience the traditional classroom-based style of teachning, as well as gaining the skills and experience of using an e-learning application. Awesome!

For our group Wiki assignment, we researched the topic of blended learning, and the advantages and disdvantages it possesses. While there are many advantages involved, and I can see why there is an increased use of e-learning or blended learning within many organisations and educational institutes, I personally prefer the traditional classroom based style of teaching. This is mainly due to my personality and past educational experiences that have been dominated by this approach. It may also be due to my lack of control when I am given access to the internet. No matter how much work I have, or how many times I have accessed certain websites (Facebook) , I am in a constant struggle with my urges to browse the internet. With the rise of e-learning means an increased chance of me accessing the internet- not good! But hey, maybe I will tire of the internet and actually focus on my work- especially if I am stuck in the middle of the bush with no friends but a whole lot of work to do. Ok, the likelihood of that happening is minimal and this oart is going no where, but I am enjoying typing, which I guess is one of the reasons why e-learning should be promoted- so people who like to type, like me, can do so.